FC Dallas needed a response Saturday night, and it got one in a place where results have been hard to come by for nearly two decades.
Behind a strong defensive effort, Petar Musa’s league leading 10th goal, and a late insurance strike from Sam Sarver, Dallas knocked off the New York Red Bulls 2-0 to snap its four-game winless streak. The result also marked the first time the club picked up all three points in New York since the 2006 season, ending a drought that had lingered for nearly 20 full years.
For Sarver, the win came with a moment he will not soon forget.
The second year player out of Indiana came off the bench and scored his first MLS goal of his career late in the match, putting the game out of reach and giving Dallas the kind of closing punch it has lacked in recent weeks.
“Obviously, it’s special,” Sarver said. “It’s something I’ve worked toward my whole life, and I’m never content with where I’m at. Growing up, to be able to say you scored in MLS in front of all these people is a ‘I really made it’ moment. But I still have a lot more I want to accomplish, and this is just the first step.”
Sarver’s goal was also a payoff for Dallas’ bench, as he and Logan Farrington combined on the play shortly after entering the match together. According to Sarver, the message from the coaching staff before they checked in was simple enough: finish the job.
“They told me that Logan and I were coming on and gave us some defensive instructions,” Sarver said. “Then one of the assistant coaches, I think it was Mark Briggs, said, ‘Go win the game for us. Put it to bed.’ Five minutes later, we did just that.”
Head coach Eric Quill was pleased with more than just the finish. After a frustrating stretch of results, he pointed to the collective work behind the ball as the foundation for the win.
“I’m super proud of the guys,” Quill said. “They fought from the first minute to the 95th with heart and soul and found moments of quality to win the game. Our honesty behind the ball was outstanding.”
Quill said the discipline and commitment to the game plan were what finally allowed Dallas to get back in the win column for the first time since early April.
“It was a collective effort behind the ball,” Quill said. “We always say that when we’re organized and press out of our structure, we can win the ball in good areas and get back behind it. The commitment to the game plan and the discipline to keep shifting were key.”
That defensive discipline gave Dallas a platform, and Musa did the rest with the opening goal before Sarver delivered the final blow. Musa’s goal was saw him become the first player in MLS to reach double-digit goals this season, strengthening his place in the Golden Boot race.
“I’m very happy with our performance today,” Musa said. “We worked hard and deserved to win. Personally, it would mean a lot for me to win the Golden Boot, but I always focus on the team. I want to help with goals and help out defensively. Getting three points is the most important thing.”
For Sarver, the personal milestone was sweet. For Dallas, the bigger prize was ending the skit and doing it in a place where the club had not won since George W. Bush was in the White House. That’s a hell of a drought to kill.
And now the challenge is simple: make sure this is the start of something and not just a nice night in the Big Apple.
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